- Unai Emery’s Aston Villa side are 2-1 up against Lille ahead of the second leg
- Lille boss Paulo Fonseca has accused opposition of using dark arts at set pieces
- IAN LADYMAN and CHRIS SUTTON have their say on the Premier League’s Player of the Year – Listen to the It’s All Kicking Off podcast
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Unai Emery has defended Aston Villa’s tactics amid accusations of dark arts from Lille boss Paulo Fonseca.
Ahead of tonight’s/Thursday’s Europa Conference League quarter-final in France, Fonseca urged referee Ivan Kruzliak, of Slovakia, to look closely at Villa’s set piece routines. In last week’s first leg at Villa Park, which Emery’s men won 2-1, Lille were furious when their markers were blocked by Villa players, allowing Ollie Watkins a free header for the opening goal.
‘What I am seeing is not blocks – they are fouls,’ said Fonseca, who was linked with the Villa job when Dean Smith was sacked in autumn 2021. ‘I love the fair game and what I want is just a fair game. If it happens I hope the referee will pay attention to it.
‘I know it’s difficult for referees to see everything but now we have VAR. I am trying to understand what is allowed and what is not allowed.’
Yet Emery hit back strongly, confirming he has no plans to change his approach to free-kicks and corners at the Stade Mauroy. Mail Sport understands Villa have taken a dim view of what they believe to be Fonseca’s attempts to influence the officials ahead of a vital clash.
As well as Watkins’ goal, John McGinn’s strike for the second also began with a clever set piece sequence and Emery highlighted that all three goals in the first leg had developed from dead-ball situations.
He said: ‘Set pieces are very important and I have been very successful with them throughout my career. They are crucial, 100 per cent.
‘At Aston Villa I am working with a specialist in Austin MacPhee, sharing our experiences. In both the Premier League and Europe, it’s very important – all three goals in the first leg came from them.
‘We have to defend well as Lille will try to affect us a lot with set pieces, and we also have to use our power in this area.’
Emery also backed Emiliano Martinez to handle the fierce reception he is likely to receive from home fans.
Martinez was part of the Argentina side who overcame France in the 2022 World Cup Final, and the Villa goalkeeper angered French fans by mocking star man Kylian Mbappe in the days that followed.
Emery added: ‘Emiliano is very important for us. He is recognised throughout world football and hahas high prestige. Of course when you get success with your country you will have opponents in other countries and teams you beat, but we will protect him.’
Aston Villa (probable – 4-4-1-1): Martinez; Konsa, D Carlos, Torres, Dignevp; Bailey, McGinn, D Luiz, Rog-ers; Tielemans; Watkins.
